Device for storing liquid

ABSTRACT

A device for storing liquid comprises a housing having side walls, an inner cavity wherein said housing comprises two unequal vertical parts and is designed to prevent said liquid being spilled and to revert to the vertical position when the vertical symmetry axis of said device leaves the original. The center of mass of said device filled with said liquid is at the bottom of said housing, lower than the geometrical center of said device. The lower outer surface of said housing is convex and is a sphere segment. The upper part of said walls of said housing is bent towards said inner cavity to form a central aperture for filling and emptying said inner cavity such that said liquid stored in said inner cavity cannot be spilled when said device leaves the vertical.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to devices for storing liquid and kitchen utensils, e.g. coffee glasses.

BACKGROUND ART

According to scalding burn statistics (source: http://www.mummymug.com/why-a-hot-drink-safety-solution/), scalds account for 60 to 80 percent of burn injuries for young children. For example, UK: over 15,000 children are badly scalded from hot beverages every year. Over 1,100 of these children require major treatment. USA: 100,000 children scalded by hot drinks and hot food every year. Over 24,000 children are treated every year in emergency rooms for scalds from spilled beverages. A 2-year old boy even tragically died in May 2010 after suffering a scald to his neck, torso and arms, when reaching for a tumbler with hot water that had been boiled to prepare tea. Australia: an average of almost 2,500 children aged 1-4 are affected by scalds every year; and 63% of these had been burned by hot liquid. Canada: 325 children are admitted each year to hospital with scald burns. Netherlands: 10,000 accidents with children suffering scalding burns from hot tea and coffee. Out of these, over 500 require major treatment. Sweden: In a study of burn-injured children treated in health centers and hospitals in the Malmo region, 118 of the 148 burned children had suffered scalds, and out of those, 84 children (71%) had a burn caused by hot liquid. The greatest number was boys between one and two years old. Almost all the accidents (96%) occurred in home environment, while a family member was next to the child.

To avoid this problem different devices for storing liquid can be used, e.g. Non-spill “Cow cup” (see http://canpolbabies.com/en/products/product/710-non-spill-cow-cup-/group:2/page:1.).

The main disadvantage of such devices is that they are not able to revert to an upright position. For example, if a liquid is not spilled at the moment of tipping over, it will be spilled later and, therefore, can harm somebody.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the goal of the invention is to develop a device for storing liquid, which can solve above mentioned problem and prevent the liquid from being spilled when the device for storing liquid accidently leaves the vertical line.

To achieve this goal, the device for storing liquid comprises a housing having side walls and an inner cavity. According to the invention the housing consists of two unequal vertical parts and designed to maintain the volume of liquid when the vertical symmetry axis of the device leaves the original position by an angle of 10°-75° and the device reverts to the vertical position. The center of gravity of the device filled with a liquid located at the bottom of the housing, which is lower than the geometrical center of the device. The lower outer surface consists of two segments: a convex and a sphere segment. Diameter of the sphere segment is equal to the distance between the outer sides of the housing. The upper part of the walls of the housing is bent towards the inner cavity to form a central aperture for filling and emptying the inner cavity such that the liquid stored in the inner cavity cannot be spilled when the device leaves the vertical line.

The device can have at least one handle on the outer surface of the housing.

The housing can be made of plastic or metal.

The lower part of the housing only can be made of metal.

The upper of the housing can be made of plastic.

The upper part of the walls of the housing can be bent towards the inner cavity at no more than 2 cm.

The upper and lower parts of the housing may have additional elements, for example snaps or threaded coupling, which can be used to connect upper and lower parts with each other.

A handle on the outer surface of the housing can be used to prevent the device to be inclined at an angle of larger than 76°.

The device can be provided with a cap tightly closing the central aperture between the upper walls.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The present invention can be made in the form of device for storing liquid, e.g. a mug, comprising a cylindrical housing having side walls and an inner cavity. The housing comprises two unequal vertical parts. The upper and lower parts consists of snaps or threaded coupling, which is used to connect and disconnect above mentioned upper and lower parts between each other. When upper and lower parts of the housing are connected with each other, the connection is tight. The whole housing can be made of plastic or metal. According to the most preferable embodiment of the invention the lower part of the housing can be made of metal and the upper part is made of plastic. In addition, said plastic is a heat resistant plastic.

In addition, the housing maintains the volume of the liquid in case, when the vertical symmetry axis of the device leaves the original position by an angle of 10°-75° and the device reverts to the vertical position. This is achieved because of the “tilting doll effect”, i.e. the center of gravity of the device filled with liquid located at the bottom of the housing, lower than the geometric center of the device. When the device is pushed, the height of the center of gravity rises, and the center of gravity is no longer over the point of contact with the ground. Due to the force of gravity the device reverts to the original position. The lower outer surface of the housing being convex and designed as a sphere segment, the diameter of which is equal to the distance between the outer sides of the housing, also facilitates the device to revert. The upper part of the walls of the housing is bent towards the inner cavity to form a central aperture for filling and emptying the inner cavity such that the liquid stored in the inner cavity cannot be spilled when the device leaves the vertical line. The upper part of the walls of the housing is bent towards the inner cavity at no more than 2 cm.

According to the experimental data this particular size of bend of the upper edge prevents the liquid from being spilled when the device leaves the vertical line and allows the device to be used with convenience as a mug.

For the convenience of cleaning and transportation the lower and upper parts of the housing can be designed to be detachable and can be tightly attached with snaps or by threaded coupling.

The device is provided with two handles on the outer surface of the housing, which are preventing the device to be inclined at an angle of more than 76°.

To avoid any objects falling into the device, the device is provided with a cap tightly closing the central aperture between the upper walls.

The device can be used as follows. A liquid is poured through the central aperture into the inner cavity. Upon any accidental actions of human, and/or animals, wind etc. on the device, the device can be inclined from the vertical line at an angle of larger than 75°. The bent edges do not allow the liquid to be spilled. At the same moment the height of the center of gravity rises and the center of gravity is no longer over the point of contact with the ground. Due to the gravity force, the device reverts to the original (stable) position, keeping the liquid inside the device. When one intends to drink or pour out the liquid, he should tip the device at an angle of larger than 76°. The handles prevent the device from being inclined at an angle larger than 75° because they start propping against the surface supporting the device and therefore induce the “tilting effect”.

The invention was disclosed above by reference to the particular embodiment of the invention. Any other embodiments of the invention not changing the essence of the invention as disclosed in the present description may be obvious to a person skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope of the invention should be considered limited by the following claims only. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for storing liquid comprising a housing having side walls, an inner cavity, wherein said housing comprises two unequal vertical parts and is designed to prevent said liquid being spilled and to revert to the vertical position when the vertical symmetry axis of said device leaves the original position by an angle of 10°-75°, the center of gravity of said device filled with said liquid being at the bottom of said housing, lower than the geometrical center of said device, wherein the lower outer surface of said housing is convex and made in the form of the sphere segment, the diameter of which is equal to the distance between the outer sides of said housing, wherein the upper part of said walls of said housing is bent towards said inner cavity, wherein the upper part of said walls of said housing form a central aperture for filling and emptying said inner cavity such that said liquid stored in said inner cavity cannot be spilled when said device leaves the vertical line.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein said device is provided with at least one handle on the outer surface of the housing.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein said housing is made of plastic.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein said housing is made of metal.
 5. The device of claim 1, wherein said the lower part of said housing is made of metal.
 6. The device of claim 1, wherein the upper part of said housing is made of plastic.
 7. The device of claim 1, wherein the upper part of the walls is bent towards said inner cavity at no more than 2 cm.
 8. The device of claim 1, wherein the upper and lower parts of said housing are detachable.
 9. The device of claim 8, wherein the upper and lower parts of said housing are attached to each other with snaps
 10. The device of claim 8, wherein the upper and lower parts of said housing are attached to each other by a threaded coupling.
 11. The device of claim 2, wherein said handle on the outer surface of the housing is designed to not to allow the device to be inclined at an angle of larger than 76°.
 12. The device of claim 1, said device is provided with a cap tightly closing the central aperture between the upper walls. 